Devon Road Trip Photo Gallery - Totnes

Heading inland after exploring the coastal towns around Torbay, Totnes was already mentioned in the Domesday Book and was a market town. Its High Street rises uphill from the river with lots of independent shops and interesting store displays. The Brutus Stone is part of the legend about the founder of the British people, Brutus the Trojan, stepping ashore, calling the site Totnes. Today, royal proclamations are read here by the mayor. St. Mary's Church was built in the 15th century, with the interior under renovation and closed at the time of my visit. Christians have been worshipping here for over a thousand years. The Guildhall was built in the mid-16th century on the site of a medieval priory. It served as a court, prison, and government centre. The local castle is just off the main shopping street and is believed to date from William the Conqueror's time, when it was an earthwork and timber structure.